Postal Service halts plans to end Saturday mail delivery

Apr. 10, 2013 - 12:08PM
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The Postal Service's Board of Governors said that the recently passed continuing resolution does not allow it to carry out its plan to halt Saturday mail delivery later this year. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)

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The U.S. Postal Service announced Wednesday it will cancel plans to halt Saturday delivery.

The agency’s Board of Governors said in a statement that the recently passed continuing resolution does not allow it to carry out its previously announced plan to halt Saturday mail delivery starting Aug. 5. The CR expressly orders the Postal Service to continue Saturday mail delivery.

“Although disappointed with this congressional action, the Board will follow the law and has directed the Postal Service to delay implementation of its new delivery schedule until legislation is passed that provides the Postal Service with the authority to implement a financially appropriate and responsible delivery schedule,” the board said in a statement.

The board said it continues to believe that ending Saturday mail delivery, which would save the Postal Service $2 billion annually, is needed to respond to the agency’s deteriorating financial condition.

“To restore the Postal Service to long-term financial stability, the Postal Service requires the flexibility to reduce costs and generate new revenues to close an ever widening budgetary gap. It is not possible for the Postal Service to meet significant cost reduction goals without changing its delivery schedule — any rational analysis of our current financial condition and business options leads to this conclusion. Delaying responsible changes to the Postal Service business model only increases the potential that the Postal Service may become a burden to the American taxpayer, which is avoidable,” the board said in the statement.

The Board of Governors directed Postal Service executives to reopen talks with postal unions and management associations to reduce workforce costs and to consider further postage rate increases.

It also called on Congress to pass a postal reform bill that provides flexibility to adjust the mail delivery schedule.